10 Inspiring Latinas Who Made History

Latinas are greatly celebrated in the world because of their impacts and contribution in different fields such as arts, law, science, politics, and more, according to Google Arts and Culture.

The Hispanic Heritage Month last year celebrated the success of Latinas and Hispanics who excel in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics or STEM. It was attended by thousands of college students who wanted to know and learn more about the life experiences of those successful individuals before they achieved their dreams.

Zoe Saldana, an actress, said that people think that Latinas are fiery and fierce which according to her is true. However, she believed that the best quality a Latina possesses is her strength. Most of all, the virtues and values that they have helped them to made history, changed the perspectives of the society where they lived and helped to changed a better world.

This time, we will be sharing some Latinas who made history in the world and have greatly impacted society. Here they are:

1. Ellen Ochoa

Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic in the world to go into space on April 8, 1993. Ochoa was aboard in a Discovery shuttle and conducted a study about the Earth's ozone layer. Since then, she has gone three space flights or a total of 1,000 hours in space.

Her contributions were greatly recognized and it led her to become the first Hispanic and second female director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston Texas.

2. Joan Baez

Joan Baez was a passionate spokesperson for the anti-war effort, a civil rights activist, and a legendary folk singer. She always believed that "We are not afraid today, oh deep in my heart I do believe, we shall overcome someday."

What made her be included in the history books is her human rights advocacy and continual fight for justice most especially for the marginalized and oppressed society.

3. Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta created the United Farm Workers in 1965. The organization focused to improve the working conditions of farmers. She became an instrument in bringing legislation that helped to protect the most vulnerable group in society.

4. Selena

Selena Quintanilla was born on April 16, 1971, in Texas. She is known as a pop superstar who brought Mexican music to the masses. She won several awards including a Grammy Award in 1993 and a Gold Record in 1994. Moreover, she became one of the most influential Latinas during her time.

She was expected to be the nest, Madonna, unfortunately, she was shot by the president of her fan club over a dispute of Selena's company money. It led her to a tragic death that was not expected to happen.

5. Sylvia Rivera

Sylvia Rivera is a Venezuelan-Puerto Rican transwoman. She was the pioneering LGBT activist who fought for trans rights. Together with Marsha P. Johnson, they created the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), this is an organization intended for trans who are living on the streets of New York in 1970.

Rivera dedicated most of her life to helping others such as the LGBT, ethnic minorities, and the homeless. at present, the Sylvia Rivera Law Project and Sylvia's Place still work for the safety and rights of the LGBT.

6. Ana Mendieta

Ana Mendieta fled from Cuba to Dubuque, Iowa due to a regime change when she was still 12 years old. Her artworks became her avenue to show to the world the experiences she had. Most of her 200 artworks focus on knowledge, spiritualism, and magic. Likewise, the subject of her artwork is profoundly being feminist.

7. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Her success in the field of politics was greatly admired because she always had the "Firsts" as a politician. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was the first Latina to serve the house of Florida, first Latina in the Florida Senate, first Latina to serve the United States House of Representatives, first Latina in Congress, and the first woman to chair a standing committee in the House.

8.Julia de Burgos

Julia de Burgos was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico in 1914. She was a successful poet in her native country. However, she struggled to be recognized as a poet when she decided to move to the United States in the 1930s.

The themes of her poems focused on the beauty of her country and her identity as a black Latina immigrant. Likewise, feminism and social justice were also the main themes of her poems that helped the Latino writers to rise.

9. Maria Elena Salinas

Maria Elena Salinas served as a news anchor for more than 30 years. She is the longest female news anchor in the United States and the first Latina to receive a Lifetime Achievement Emmy. Before she decided to depart from the Univision she said, "I am grateful for having had the privilege to inform and empower the Latino community through the work my colleagues and I do with such passion."

As a news anchor, she used it as a tool to discuss the issues that Latinos are facing today, including the plight of immigrant children, being an active philanthropist, and helped to increase the voter registration of the Latino community.

10. Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor was the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the history of the United States. Before she achieved the peak of her career, she served as the first District Court Judge in the U.S. She once said: "There are uses to adversity, and they don't reveal themselves until tested "whether it's a serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, the difficulty can tap unexpected strengths."